Planning a family reunion can be a stressful, complicated, and often thankless task, but get it right and you will have an event that your whole family will remember forever. If you have been assigned the duties of event organizer for your family’s next get-together, here are a few things to keep in mind that will help you make it a huge success!
Get connected
The first step to a successful family reunion is to get in touch with everyone and ask for opinions, plans, requirements, and all the other information necessary to plan an awesome event. As the organizer you will have to make some decisions all on your own, but it is a good idea to keep the whole family in the loop and connected throughout the planning process to allow everyone to contribute.
Chose a date
This might sound simple, but picking the date for a reunion can be one of the most complicated parts of the planning process! Every single family member will have their own commitments and preferred dates, and finding a single point in the calendar that suits everyone perfectly will be nigh on impossible. The best advice is to plan far enough ahead so that everyone has time to block out their schedule and cancel any provisional plans they might have already made.
Set a budget
Another thorny topic, money can cause huge arguments even within families, and budgeting for a family reunion can be tough. The key to ensuring that no-one feels pressured to spend more than they can afford is to set a budget in advance that everyone can agree on. This way, everything is clear and transparent right from the start, and any concerns can be raised in advance, privately, and without awkwardness.
Pick a location
There are plenty of great family reunion destination ideas. The key is finding somewhere that has enough room for everyone. Renting a large homestay in the countryside can be a great option, as it usually comes with plenty of space for people to do their own thing when the reunion events aren’t happening. If the idea of self-catering doesn’t appeal, why not consider a cruise? With everything from entertainment to dining taken care of, a cruise lets your family concentrate on the reunion part of the vacation. Here are some of the best cruise destinations for a family reunion:
- The Caribbean – with warm weather and family-friendly beach destinations, a Caribbean cruise offers something for everyone.
- Alaska – with stunning landscapes and adventure at every turn, a family reunion cruise to Alaska ensures entertainment throughout.
- Europe – the perfect blend of cultural highlights, great food, and fascinating destination ports makes Europe a great choice.
Plan entertainment
Whatever your reunion looks like and wherever you are going, you will want to have some entertainment planned. This could range from cute, personalized games and challenges specific to your family all the way to serious professional entertainers, entirely depending on your budget and preferences. The most important thing to keep in mind is ensuring that you offer activities that suit everyone and try to include things that family members of all ages and tastes will enjoy.
Have a backup plan
As with all event organizing, assuming the worst and having plans for when things go wrong is the best way to ensure that the whole event runs smoothly! The saying ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ might be cliched and corny, but it rings undeniably true! When you are organizing large groups of people and a sizable event, there are plenty of moving parts and all sorts of things that can go wrong. Having contingencies in place in case of disaster means that your event will be a success, whatever the world throws at you!
